Berto-Ortiz deal imminent?

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said he hoped to complete today a deal to have welterweight titleholder Andre Berto fight Victor Oritz on April 16 as part of a split-site HBO show with the Amir Khan-Paul McCloskey fight in the UK.

The representatives of Berto and Ortiz have been negotiating for several weeks, with one sticking point reportedly beign the weight. Ortiz, a junior welterweight, wanted a catch weight between 140 and 147 pounds.

Oritz (28-2-2, 22 knockouts) and Lamont Peterson fought to a draw on Dec. 11. Berto (27-0, 21 KOs) is coming off a first-round knockout of Freddy Hernandez on Nov. 27, the fifth successful defense of his title.